Google Maps caused chaos in rural Perthshire, Scotland, after it erroneously told drivers the A9 road was closed and routed vehicles along a single-track road.

The U163 road has no designated passing places, causing it to become jammed when vehicles met one another coming from both directions, local residents told the BBC.

Local residents reported vehicles including camper vans, a large coach, and cars with trailers travelling at excessive speeds along the road, where overgrown trees and bushes make fast travel dangerous.

Safety fears

At other times, traffic became congested, making it difficult for local residents to travel or even to leave their homes.

The issue was first observed on Friday, 18 September, and it persisted through the weekend, with problems remaining on Monday or later, according to local residents.

Laura Hansler, of the A9 Dual Action campaign group, said Google fixed the issue after a member of the group contacted Google in London.

She told the BBC there was no apparent cause for the glitch, and that the mapping tool acts up from time to time “for no reason”.

Drivers on the A9 use Google Maps to avoid potential travel obstructions such as collisions or roadworks, Hansler said, adding that she is pushing the government to take action to prevent further incidents.

Google said it investigated the “technical issue” and had removed “inaccurate road closures”.